Introduction to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga
The purpose of this blog is to explore the cultural significance of the sacred Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga / Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga or the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Aurangabad.
Pilgrims often call the sacred Shiva Linga as 12 Jyotirlinga Grishneshwar owing to the fact that it is one among the holy 12 Jyotirlingas in India.
Spiritual recognition of the 12 Jyotirlingas:
In Hindu culture and traditions, the devotees worship and venerate the 12 Jyotirlingas to seek blessings both for personal and public good. Worship of 12 Jyotirlingas, Shakti Peeths and other deities, in fact, bind the pilgrims and devotees to righteousness.
Thus, in a way Hindu religion is a way of life which guides and helps devotees steer their way through.
Shiva legend about the emergence of 12 Jyotirlingas:
The Shiva legend has it that in order to prove who amongst Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the sustainer and; Shiva, the destructor is most powerful, Lord Shiva pierced through the three worlds with his huge and infinite Stambha(the pillar, Jyotirlinga).
Brahma and Vishnu ascended/descended on the pillar in order to find out its beginning and the end. Vishnu took the incarnation of Varaha and Brahma of Hansa(Swan). Brahma lied and produced Ketaki flower as proof while Vishnu admitted that he could neither find the beginning nor the end of the light emanating from the Stambha, the pillar.
Shiva cursed Brahma that he would not be worshiped and declared that Vishnu would be worshiped eternally.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Location:
As far as Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Location or the location of the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple Verul Maharashtra is concerned, the sacred Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga / Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga is located near Ellora in Verul village, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra. The new name of Aurangabad is now Sambhaji Nagar, after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Bhosale of the Maratha empire.
Grishneshwar Temple to Ellora caves distance is barely 1.1km. Pilgrims and tourists cover the Grishneshwar Temple to Ellora caves distance by walking.
People call Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga by different names such as Grishneshwar Mandir, Ghushmeshwar Mahadev Jyotirling, Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple Verul Maharashtra, Grishneshwar, Ghushmeshwar Mahadev, Ghushmeshwar temple, Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga temple, Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga, Ghushmeshwar Jyotirling, Grishneshwar Jyotirling, Shri Grishneshwar temple or simply Ghushmeshwar.
Aurangabad to Grishneshwar distance is approximately 32 km. Along the Aurangabad to Grishneshwar distance route, the Maharashtra State Transport Buses also ply. These take around 30-35 minutes.
Pilgrims also take taxis to cover Aurangabad to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Distance. The Aurangabad Central Bus Stations is 29 kms from Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga nearest railway station is the Aurangabad Railway Station which is very well connected to the major cities in India. Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga nearest railway station is Aurangabad.
Aurangabad railway station to Grishneshwar temple distance is approximately 30 km. Aurangabad railway station to Grishneshwar temple distance can be covered comfortably by public transport.
Manmad Railway station is at a distance of approximately 140 km from Grishneshwar temple or the Grishneshwar Mahadev.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga to Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga distance:
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga to Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga distance is approximately 300 km. The road route involves the following stations:- Grishneshwar-Aurangabad-Ahmednagar-Shirur-Rajuruanagar-Wada-Bhimashanker.
The road route from Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga to Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga distance via Manchar, instead of via Wada is about 315 km.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga to Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga distance by train is a little longer.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga / Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra near Ellora
The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga / Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga or the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga temple or the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple Verul Maharashtra is a national protected site, around 1.1 km away from the famous and world renowned Ellora Caves in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar District of Maharashtra. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Grishneshwar means, the Lord of compassion.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga / Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga- An Architectural Marvel:
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga / Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga or the Grishneshwar Mandir’s architecture is South Indian style and the idols and sculptures are intricately carved in red volcanic rocks. The main court hall is built on strong 24 pillars.
Mesmerizing paintings and sculptures at Grishneshwar Mandir or the Grishneshwar Mahadev enchant the visitors from far and wide. The construction style of the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga / Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga temple is called Shikara style, marked with intricate carvings.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga / Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga is housed in the Garbhagriha of the sacred temple. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India.
In front of the main door of the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga / Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple or the Ghushmeshwar Mahadev Jyotirling is the statue of Nandi Bull.
On the way to the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga / Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, 10 incarnations (Dasavatara) of Lord Vishnu, carved on red rocks, are mesmerizing and enchanting.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Story:
As per Puran, the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Story goes that near Devagiri mountain one Sudharma used to live with his wife named Sudeha. They were living happily but had no issues. They were keen to have a baby but astrological predictions were otherwise.
Sudeha insisted her husband Sudharma marry her younger sister named Ghushma also for procreation. Initially, Sudharma was reluctant but upon insistence from his wife Sudeha, consented for marriage with Ghushma too.
Ghushma was a pious and religious lady. She was a devout devotee of Lord Shiva. She used to daily worship 101 earthly Shiva Lingas. Her ties with her husband Sudharma were very cordial. With the blessings of Lord Shiva she gave birth to a male child. Sudharma, Sudeha and Ghusma all were very happy and living comfortably but gradually a feeling of neglect and frustration creeped in the heart of Sudeha who started feeling ill about her sister Ghushma and her son.
Sudeha thought that over the period of time she has lost the grip on her husband Sudharma who is more inclined towards her sister Ghushma who has been blessed with a son. The child from Ghushma grew up and was of marriageable age. Soon his parents got him married to a young beautiful girl.
The element of neglect, frustration and ill will creeped in the heart of Sudeha against Ghushma’s son to such an extent that she was led to kill the son of Ghushma when he was sleeping. She succeeded in executing her nefarious plot or design and disposed of the body of the son of Ghushma in the nearby pond where Ghushma used to go to worship Lord Shiva and used to immerse the earthly Shiva Lingas daily.
Next day, in the morning everyone came to know about the tragedy and people wept and wailed. It was a chaotic situation. Sudharma and his daughter in law were in grief. But Ghushma, was poised and calm, busy in her worship as usual. After her worship, she immersed the earthly Shiva Lingas in the pond and as she started to return from the pond, she saw her loving son coming out of the pond. He fell at the feet of Ghushma.
According to the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Story, Lord Shiva appeared there and looked very angry at the misdeeds of Sudeha and was about to slit her throat with His Trident. Immediately, Ghushma requested Him with folded hands to forgive her elder sister Sudeha although she committed a heinous crime, Ghushma also told Lord Shiva that with your blessings, she could get her son back to life. She further requested Lord Shiva to make the place his permanent abode. Lord Shiva acceded to both of Ghushma’s requests.
Lord Shiva established Himself in the form of Jyotirlinga, at Grishneshwar. Owing to the intense worship of His devout devotee, Ghushma, the abode of Lord Shiva here came to be known as Ghushmeshwar Mahadev.
Grishneshwar Temple History or the History of Grishneshwar Temple Aurangabad:
As far as the Grishneshwar Temple History is concerned, it shows that the Grishneshwar temple had faced destruction at the hands of Delhi Sultanate in the 13th and 14th century. Grishneshwar Temple History also witnessed good times when the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple was renovated/reconstructed by Maratha King (Shivaji’s grandfather), Maloju Bhisale of Verul in the 16th Century.
The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga temple or Grishneshwar Mahadev or the Grishneshwar Temple Aurangabad, in the present form, was reconstructed by Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in the 18th Century.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple Darshan Timings or the Grishneshwar Temple Timings :
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple Darshan Timings provide flexibility to pilgrims to have Darshan of the deities at their convenience. Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple Darshan Timings are 5:30 am to 9:30 pm. It is said that by having Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple Darshan, the pilgrims can reap the benefits of worshiping all the 12 Jyotirlingas.
Grishneshwar Temple Aarti Timings:
Grishneshwar Temple Aarti Timings or the Grishneshwar Temple Timings are 4:00 am; 8:00 am; 12:00 pm; and 7:30 pm.
Grishneshwar Temple Dress Code:
As far as the Grishneshwar Temple Dress Code is concerned, for men it is Saffron coloured Dhoti and they should remain bare chested. Grishneshwar Temple Dress Code for ladies is that they must wear Saree/ Churidar.
Mumbai – Aurangabad:
Devagiri Express and Ajanta Express run between Mumbai and Aurangabad. Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga / Ghushmeshwar Jyotirlinga is approximately at a distance of 320 km from Mumbai. Mumbai -Aurangabad Luxury bus takes around 9-10 hours to cover the road distance of approximately 360 kms.
Pune to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Distance:
Pune to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Distance is approximately 308 kms. Pune to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Distance can be comfortably traveled by train. The nearest Railway Station is Aurangabad Railway Station. Pune-Nanded Express runs between Pune and Aurangabad. Pune to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Distance can also be covered by Luxury buses which take about 5-7 hrs.
Delhi to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga:
Delhi to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga pilgrimage can be conveniently undertaken by devotees by undertaking a Train journey by Marathwada Sampark Kranti Express or Sachkhand Express. Delhi to Aurangabad distance is approximately 1370 km.
Approximate road distance of important cities from Aurangabad:
Aurangabad is well connected with the major cities. Approximate distance by road from important cities is as under:-
Ahmedabad to Aurangabad – 623 km.
Bangalore to Aurangabad- 1004 km.
Khajuraoho to Aurangabade- 1026 km.
Nashik to Aurangabad- 204 km.
Nanded to Aurangabad- 277 km.
Jaipur to Aurangabad- 1013 km
Shirdi to Aurangabad- 130 km
Hyderabad to Aurangabad- 572 km.
Aurangabad Airport to Grishneshwar Temple:
Aurangabad Airport to Grishneshwar Temple is at a distance of about 37 kms. Pilgrims usually take 50 minutes to cover Aurangabad Airport to Grishneshwar Temple by road.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Nearest Airport:
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Nearest Airport is Aurangabad. The name of Aurangabad Airport is Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.
Aurangabad to Grishneshwar Temple Bus:
Aurangabad to Grishneshwar Temple Bus service is available. The bus ride takes about 2 hours. The frequency of the bus service is good.
Frequency of Maharashtra State Transport Bus Service from Aurangabad Central Bus Station is quite good.
Places to visit near Grishneshwar Temple:
There is a long list of the places to visit near Grishneshwar Temple. The important religious and tourists attractions include-Ellora Caves, Chand Bibi Ka Makbara, Daultabad Fort, Aurangabad Caves, Panchakki, Aurangabad Heritage Walk, Siddhartha Garden and Zoo, Jayakwadi Dam and Grishneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Conclusion:
Pilgrims in India nurture a desire to visit all the 12 Jyotirlingas, at least once in their lifetime, and seek blessings of Lord Shiva.
12 Jyotirlinga Grishneshwar worship is not limited to an individual’s wellbeing but for the good of society at large.
The steady stream of pilgrims at the twelve Jyotirlingas, including the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Aurangabad, deeply resonate the religious and spiritual fervor round the year.
FAQs About Grishneshwar temple
Q.1. Where is Grishneshwar temple located?
Ans. 1. It is located near Ellora in Verul village, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra.
Q.2. How to reach Grishneshwar jyotirlinga from Aurangabad Railway Station?
Ans.2. Aurangabad railway station to Grishneshwar temple distance is approximately 30 km. Aurangabad railway station to Grishneshwar temple distance can be covered comfortably by public transport.
Q.3. How to reach Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga from Aurangabad?
Ans.3. Pilgrims can reach Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga from Aurangabad by public transport- Bus or taxi.
Q.4. How to reach Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga?
Ans.4. Aurangabad Railway station and Aurangabad Airport are well connected with the important cities in India. Pilgrims can reach by road as well.
Q.5. What is the significance of Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga?
Ans.5. Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.
Q.6. What are the special features of Grishneshwar Temple?
Ans.6. Grishneshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is an architectural marvel.
Q.7. What are the legends associated with Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga?
Ans.7. The legends associated with Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga relate to the devout devotee Ghushma who worshiped Lord Shiva with single point devotion.
